10 replies to this topic

[ORUJason]

After getting some playing time with the Giants in 2008, Steve Holm was sent back to the minors. But in 2010 he signed with the Twins. The Twins are looking for a catcher to back-up Joe Mauer. Last year when Carl Pavano was pitching Drew Butera would be the starting catcher and Joe Mauer would either take the day off or DH. But Drew Butera didn't hit very well. So, there are 4 or 5 guys up for the back-up catcher spot, and so far Steve Holm is batting .750 with appearances in 3-4 games and also drew a walk. He has a chance to catch on as a 2nd-3rd catcher. I hope it works out for him. I had forgotten that (according to Wikipedia) Steve was a 3rd team All American in 2000.

Twins Box Score

Wikipedia Link

[ORUJason]

Steve Holm is still hanging in there with the Twins and currently batting .429. They cut 5 players recently including another catcher, but Steve is still around.

Also, I noticed that Michael Hollimon is also in camp with the Twins, however he has only played in 2 games.

I found some info on Michael's career up to this point:

Twins singed INF Michael Hollimon to a minor league contract.
The 28-year-old Hollimon registered a .212/.320/.385 batting line and three home runs over 124 plate appearances at the Double-A level in 2010. He'll act as organizational infield depth for the Twins next year.

Rotoworld

Michael could have been signed to provide depth for the AA and AAA teams. Hopefully he gets more opportunities to shine before spring training is over.

[ORUJason]

ORUJason, on 20 March 2011 - 10:05 PM, said:

Steve Holm is still hanging in there with the Twins and currently batting .429. They cut 5 players recently including another catcher, but Steve is still around.

Also, I noticed that Michael Hollimon is also in camp with the Twins, however he has only played in 2 games.

I found some info on Michael's career up to this point:

Twins singed INF Michael Hollimon to a minor league contract.
The 28-year-old Hollimon registered a .212/.320/.385 batting line and three home runs over 124 plate appearances at the Double-A level in 2010. He'll act as organizational infield depth for the Twins next year.

Rotoworld

Michael could have been signed to provide depth for the AA and AAA teams. Hopefully he gets more opportunities to shine before spring training is over.

Steve Holm was reassigned to minor-league camp today even though he is batting .375 and the back-up catcher they kept (Drew Butera) is batting .167 (which is the worst batting average of any catcher in camp). Carl Pavano really likes to throw to Drew Butera, so that has to be the reason they are keeping that dead wood around. If they tire of Butera, I hope that Steve Holm will be the first option they call up from the minors. It looks like they are only keeping 2 catchers for now on their roster.

[ORUTerry]

ORUJason, on 24 March 2011 - 09:02 PM, said:

Steve Holm was reassigned to minor-league camp today even though he is batting .375 and the back-up catcher they kept (Drew Butera) is batting .167 (which is the worst batting average of any catcher in camp). Carl Pavano really likes to throw to Drew Butera, so that has to be the reason they are keeping that dead wood around. If they tire of Butera, I hope that Steve Holm will be the first option they call up from the minors. It looks like they are only keeping 2 catchers for now on their roster.

Baseball is the least meritorious of the three major sports.....

[Bogus Smith]

Drew Butera is the son of a former Minnesota Twins catcher, Sal Butera. Baseball rewards, and stays with, players that come from a gene pool of baseball players. Unfortunately, I think Steve got caught up in a numbers game that happens pretty often in baseball.

BTW, the only reason I knew about this obscure baseball fact was that I saw Sal Butera play for the Toledo Mud Hens in the International League when he was making his way up to the majors. Butera isn't a common name.

[ORUTerry]

That's not a numbers game - that's cronyism or the 'good old boys network'. It's counter productive wherever it occurs.

[ORUalum]

Twins’ Mauer goes on DL
Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer has been placed on the 15-day disabled list because of leg weakness.

Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire, who is from Okmulgee, made the announcment after the Twins lost 4-3 in 10 innings to Tampa Bay on Thursday night.

Mauer had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in the offseason. He had a very light work load during spring training to try to reduce the wear and tear on his legs and stay fresh for the rigors of catching an entire season. Gardenhire said Mauer’s knee has been OK, but the leg weakness has contributed to soreness throughout his body.

The three-time AL batting champion is hitting .235 with four RBIs in nine games this year.

To replace Mauer on the roster, the Twins selected the contract of catcher Steve Holm from Triple-A Rochester. The 31-year old, who played at Oral Roberts, is in his first season with the Twins organization after being drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2001.

Read more: http://newsok.com/ar...2#ixzz1JbArwU3c

[ORUJason]

ORUalum, on 15 April 2011 - 07:36 AM, said:

Twins’ Mauer goes on DL
Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer has been placed on the 15-day disabled list because of leg weakness.

Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire, who is from Okmulgee, made the announcment after the Twins lost 4-3 in 10 innings to Tampa Bay on Thursday night.

Mauer had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in the offseason. He had a very light work load during spring training to try to reduce the wear and tear on his legs and stay fresh for the rigors of catching an entire season. Gardenhire said Mauer’s knee has been OK, but the leg weakness has contributed to soreness throughout his body.

The three-time AL batting champion is hitting .235 with four RBIs in nine games this year.

To replace Mauer on the roster, the Twins selected the contract of catcher Steve Holm from Triple-A Rochester. The 31-year old, who played at Oral Roberts, is in his first season with the Twins organization after being drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2001.

Read more: http://newsok.com/ar...2#ixzz1JbArwU3c

Way to go Steve!!! Now hopefully Steve gets to play in a few games over the next two weeks and gets some opportunities to shine.

Also, it now sounds like Mauer had weakness all over his body due to a viral illness, so the Twins expect that he will be back once the 15 day DL stint is over.

[theeagleman5]

Let's hope that Steve Holm gets to play a few games while he's with the Twins....would love to see him with the Phillies....we don't have a great back up catcher...Brian Schneider is fair but he's like 35 yrs old...

[ORUJason]

theeagleman5, on 15 April 2011 - 06:02 PM, said:

Let's hope that Steve Holm gets to play a few games while he's with the Twins....would love to see him with the Phillies....we don't have a great back up catcher...Brian Schneider is fair but he's like 35 yrs old...

Ron Gardenhire said that Holm and Butera will split catching duties over the next 2 weeks. That is great news and represents a definite opportunity.
--------
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Friday he plans to split the catching duties between Drew Butera and Steve Holm. Holm was called up from Class AAA Rochester on Thursday when Joe Mauer had to be placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a viral infection.

"We're going to mix them both in there and see what happens there,'' Gardenhire said "Drew is a very good catch-and-thrower and Steve can do those things, too. And we liked [Holm] him in spring training. Actually hit the ball pretty good for us.''

Butera, Holm will split catching duties

[Bogus Smith]

I think we're going to find out in the next two weeks whether Butera made the Twins because of his name or his ability. We'll also find out who returns to the Red Wings after Mauer returns - the game of baseball can be somewhat unforgiving and unfair.